London-Middlesex

Cultural Menu Enhancement Project

OSNP is committed to high quality school food for every student.
OSNP’s Cultural Menu Enhancement Pilot Project is in alignment with our equity and inclusion framework, ensuring that all students feel represented in school food programs, regardless of
faith or culture. The project aims to:

• Engage students that are historically under-represented
• Create opportunities for cultural celebrations within the school community that lead to greater feelings of inclusion and acceptance
• Provide more opportunities for students to feel affirmed by their peers
• Assist with capacity building by allowing our OSNP team to engage in new dynamic partnerships, strengthening school community connections and providing knowledge translation and resources at the school level

OSNP has partnered with Growing Chefs Ontario, a food literacy and education non-profit organization, on a pilot program that provides culturally relevant menu enhancements and resources to elementary and secondary students at identified schools in London. The literacy resources, made in collaboration with knowledge keepers and cultural advisors, can be tailored from JK to grade 12 and are designed to provide education and engagement around the accompanying menu items. These recipes are created with ingredients that are often locally sourced, providing a cost-effective, culturally relevant and nourishing menu option for London Middlesex Student Nutrition Programs that may otherwise be costly if purchased as a prepackaged item.

The project will continue into the 2024.25 school year with an introduction to two new schools and hundreds of more students.

Summer Snack Bags & Frozen Meals (2022)

During the summer of 2022, OSNP utilized a combination of COVID relief funds and donations to provide summer snack bags and fill the gap of student nutrition programs in the summer months. Bags were filled with fresh produce, milk, yogurt, cheese, and whole grain items.

Alongside these summer snack bags, OSNP partnered with GrowingChefs! Ontario to provide frozen nutritious meals for families. Snack bags and frozen meals were available for pickup on Tuesdays in July and August (9 weeks total), and reached a total of 55 families each week.

We hope to continue this program in the future and are looking for sponsors, reach out to Jody or Katherine if you have an interest!

GrowingChefs Fresh Produce Boxes (2022)

GrowingChefs! has partnered with OSNP London-Middlesex to support a number of families associated with White Oaks Public School. They grow and prepare fresh produce bags to be distributed monthly. GrowingChefs! has build and maintains a bountiful Hoop House/Green House at the GrowingChefs! Education Centre at the Western Fair grounds, allowing their produce to rejuvenate and be harvested once a month. 
As well, GrowingChefs! prepares 90 Frozen Meal kits to be distributed to both our Summer Snack Bag program, White Oaks families and VON Family Supports families.